


Beyond a friendship

by macgoldenof



Category: Sex Education (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fate, Friends to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-26
Updated: 2020-08-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:21:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26117140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/macgoldenof/pseuds/macgoldenof
Summary: This is a story set in an alternative universe (AU) in which Otis and Maeve have been best friends for some years. The story starts when Otis realises that his feelings towards Maeve go beyond those of a friendship.
Relationships: Otis Milburn/Maeve Wiley
Comments: 2
Kudos: 21





	Beyond a friendship

**Author's Note:**

> I just had the idea of using as a prompt the idea of Maeve and Otis already being best friends as a starting point for a story.
> 
> I started writing this one and soon after I realised it was not going in the direction I wanted, so I discarded a draft containing pretty much all the ideas used here and even some of the dialogues. I planned to leave the draft in my discarded drafts folder, but recently I have had some ideas on how to finish it, and this is the result.
> 
> In fact I pretended to include this one in my short stories compilation, but the result has been much longer than I anticipated, so standalone story it is :)
> 
> I still plan to visit the original prompt later down the road since I'm working on another story using the same prompt that I used for this one, but for now this is what's ready to be posted.
> 
> I don't think this is my best work, but maybe someone finds this story worth it of a read, maybe even fun, so I'm leaving it here :D

Otis Milburn and Maeve Wiley became friends a few years ago. They didn’t know each other, but after being put together for a school project they started to get along well with the other until they became best friends after some time. They had always been there for each other, in the ups and downs.

However, by the time they were 16, Otis realised that he had started to look at Maeve as more than just his best friend. At first, he was doubtful that those feelings were real, but after a while he was sure, he liked Maeve.

He started to consider if he should tell her about it. He had never seen anything in her attitude towards him to think she actually liked him in the same way. And there was always the chance of messing up with their friendship. He could live with Maeve not being his girlfriend. But he didn't even want to imagine her not being his friend, he didn't know how he would be able to live with that.

* * *

Otis had been doing his best to get over his feels for Maeve. So far, he had been unsuccessful, but their friendship had remained as good as ever. He was more than happy with the result.

But Fate had another destiny for our young protagonists.

It looked like a normal Thursday when Maeve found him in front of his locker.

“Otis! Otis!” Said an over-excited Maeve.

“What happens Maeve?” Otis asked happy to see her best friend so excited.

“You can’t imagine who has asked me on a date.”

“Who?” He thought he was not going to like the answer.

“Jackson.”

“Marchetti?”

“Yes.” He didn’t like the answer.

“That’s… That’s awesome Maeve. I’m so happy for you.” He was genuinely happy for her with how happy she looked. Sure, his heart had just broken in a million pieces and he wanted to cry the hell out of it. But he wasn’t going to be selfish in such an important moment for her.

“Thanks Otis. I can’t believe it.”

“Neither can I.” He was being honest. “Have you even decided what are you going to do?”

“Not yet.”

“Ok. Tell him that if he doesn’t treat properly, I will beat him.”

“I will let him know. Anyway, see you later, I have Maths now and I don’t want to be late. See you.”

“See you later.”

As soon as Maeve disappeared from his vision, he leaned against his locker regretting his shitty luck. Not only he liked his best friend, that didn’t like him back, but now she had a guy that liked her that she liked back. And none other than Jackson Marchetti, the Golden Boy of Moordale he thought. ‘ _Very nice Milburn, you fell for your best friend who now has the most popular guy on the school as a boyfriend, good job. You are an idiot._ ’

* * *

3 months had passed since the moment in which Maeve broke the news to Otis. And while Maeve was his best friend, his only friend and the girl he liked, Fate decided that it was not enough. Since she started going out with Jackson, they were barely seeing each other outside Moordale, and even when they were there she still spent much of her time with his boyfriend. He wasn't angry at her, he understood she was spending time with her new boyfriend, but he still hated the situation.

His mood had slowly turned grumpier as time had passed. While he had been able to hide it from Maeve, Jean still knew better. She didn’t want to upset his son more than he already was, but she couldn’t resist asking during a breakfast.

“You seem sad lately Otis, something wrong?”

“Not really.”

“You can tell me anything.”

“It's fine mum, don't worry.”

“Is your mood related with Maeve? I have barely seen her lately.”

“She has a new boyfriend; she is spending time with him.”

“That's why you are like that?”

“What do you mean?”

“That's why you are so upset?”

“I miss spending time with her, but I’m happy for her.”

“I meant, are you upset because she has a boyfriend?”

“No.” He lied. He didn’t expect Jean to believe him, but he didn't want to recognise his feelings loudly.

“You know you can’t lie to me right Otis?”

“I can always try.” He shrugged.

“Do you like Maeve?”

He sighed. “Mum don’t ask me questions that you already know the answer for.”

Otis was going to school with his mind just thinking of Maeve. It was going to be her birthday soon. She didn’t like parties so maybe they could celebrate it all by themselves as they have done in previous occasions. He was planning to buy her a present she could enjoy as he had been doing since they became friends.

But once again Fate had no mercy on Otis. As he entered Moordale’s grounds he found Maeve.

“Hello Otis.”

“Hi Maeve.”

“How are you today?”

“Can’t complain.” He said. ‘ _Well, I can, but I won’t._ ’ He thought. “And you?” He asked.

“Same here. I need to speak with you.”

“Sure.”

“I am, well, Jackson is throwing a party for my birthday.”

‘ _Come on, when is this shit going to end?_ ’ That’s what he thought and wanted to say, but he swallowed those words. “I thought you didn't like to celebrate the day you we pushed out of a random vagina.”

“I don't, but Jackson does, and he hasn't stopped insisting until I accepted. Is this Saturday at his place, you are coming, right?”

‘ _Oh no, oh no. What the fuck I’m supposed to do? I don’t want to disappoint her, but I can’t take a whole night seeing Jackson over her, no way. That’s too much._ ’ Once again, he swallowed those words. “This Saturday? I'm sorry Maeve, but I already had plans with Jean.”

“Really?” She looked disappointed.

“Yeah. I'm sorry.”

“It's ok Otis.”

“You are going to have fun, don’t worry. Be sure to let me know all the details, ok?”

“Yeah, sure.”

He hated lying to her, but since he found painful even seeing them together briefly at Moordale, the idea of going to that party to see them together all the time was just a nightmare. He saw the disappointment in her face, and he felt guilty for it, he had to make up for her whenever he could feel comfortable around her again.

* * *

Maeve had to recognise that it was a nice party, that Jackson had gone all out to organise it. She wished she could enjoy it, but Otis kept appearing in her mind. His absence left a void that she didn't expect, one she couldn’t explain. Sure, they had been barely hanging out since she and Jackson got together. But he was still his friend, wasn't him? Sure, she noticed that they had drifted apart slightly, but it was a normal thing now that she was in a relationship, and nothing to worry about, right?

She was thrown out of her thoughts when Jackson asked her. “Is everything ok Maeve?”

“Yeah, really cool party Jackson. Thanks for it. I just feel a little bit sick; I will probably leave soon.”

“Oh! What a pity. Will you dance with me at least once then?”

“Of course.” She said with a smile.

Not long after that she left. She was actually more than fine. She knew how unfair she was being to Jackson, but she couldn’t stop thinking about Otis, and what his absence had caused on her. They had always been there for the other. They had always been together through thick and thin, so Otis missing the party just because he had plans with his mum felt wrong.

She went straight to Milburn's residence. She needed answers and she needed them now.

It was not long when she reached the house where she spent so much time.

“Hi Jean.”

“Happy birthday Maeve!”

“Thanks Jean.”

“What can I do for you?”

“I need to ask you a question before speaking with Otis.”

“Go ahead.”

“Did you have any plans with Otis today?”

“No, we have stayed here all day.”

“I knew it. Damn Otis!”

“Why do you ask?”

“Because Otis used that as the excuse for not coming at a party for my birthday, and it felt wrong. I missed him being there. And I’m starting to worry that he is angry at me or anything.”

“Well, you need to speak with him to know his reasons, not for me to tell. But I can guarantee you that he is not angry with you.”

“Thanks Jean. Upstairs?”

“As always.” Jean said with a smile.

Jean knew that those 2 had been friends for years, but almost from the beginning she saw something special in their connection. She always had wondered if they could have anything more than the beautiful friendship they already had. She was certainly going to find soon enough.

Otis was thinking about Maeve. He hoped she was having fun at the party. She probably was if he was honest with himself, she seemed to have outgrown their friendship. He had never seen her as happy as she was since she got with Jackson. At least he had not needed to tell her about his feelings, meaning that whatever was left of their friendship could keep existing in the same way it had existed for years.

But this one was not the time in which Fate was going to stop messing with Otis.

“Otis.”

“Maeve! What are you doing here?” Asked a surprised Otis after seeing the girl he was thinking about entering his room.

“I need to speak with you Otis.”

“But your party.”

“I don’t care about the party. I need to know why you didn’t want to be there. We have been friends for so many years and it’s the first time I have felt like there is something wrong between us. I need to know if I have done something wrong that is the reason of that.”

“I’m sorry that I made you feel like that.” He sighed. “It’s not your fault at all Maeve, it’s just that there a few things that are happening outside of my control and I don’t know how to deal with them. I’m sorry.”

“Can I help you in any way?”

“I wish, but I don’t think so. It’s just something I need to learn to be able to deal with.”

“What about?”

“It’s ok Maeve, you don’t need to worry about it.”

“You are my best friend Otis, I want to help, I want to know.”

He sighed. “Are you sure Maeve? I can’t guarantee that you will like what I have to say or that things between us won’t change forever.”

“Otis you are you scaring me. Come on, it can’t be that bad.”

“I hope you think the same after this.” He took a deep breath before facing her. “Maeve, I like you. I have liked you for a while. Seeing you with Jackson has been hard. Barely spending time with you since you got with Jackson has been the worst time of my life. The idea of having to go through a party seeing the two of you all night together was a nightmare. I’m sorry for being so selfish of not considering how you were going to feel if I didn’t go. But I just don’t know how to deal with my feelings anymore. I have never been good at that, but since I started to like you, I have been even worse at managing them.”

“I… I don’t even know what to say.”

“It’s ok Maeve. Even before liking you have always been my best friend. I have always cared about you and wished you to be happy. And that has not changed after me developing feelings for you. I know you are happy with Jackson and I don’t want that to change. You are a wonderful person Maeve and if someone deserves to be happy it’s you.”

“Why haven’t you told me about it before?”

“I have never expected you to like me. And after seeing you with Jackson I couldn’t think of any reason in the world for which you would be with me instead of him. So, telling you would only make things weird between us.”

“Why would I like Jackson and not you?”

“Because he is Jackson and I’m just Otis.”

“What does that mean?”

“The most popular and charismatic guy at Moordale, a genuinely nice guy, quite handsome, really good when we speak about sex if I have to judge by what all the girls at school say about her, and certainly not an idiot for all I know. Versus me, a skinny gangly pale teenager, a really awkward guy, with only one friend, a virgin that can’t even wank. At least I’m not an idiot either. Oh wait! I am an idiot. I have fallen for my best friend to who I’m now confessing and about to lose her friendship. So yeah, he is Jackson and I’m just Otis.”

“You are being unfair with yourself.”

“Maybe. But whatever is it, there is a reason why you were so happy when he asked you on a date and became his girlfriend, while you have never been interested in the slightest in me even after knowing me for years. You know me better than anyone else Maeve, and you have never been interested in me, so what can I do?”

She kept staring at him for a moment before blurting. “I need to go Otis.”

“Ok, no problem Maeve.”

“Goodbye.”

“Bye.”

She left like she was in a hurry. Not that Otis expected any different. He had never wanted to tell her about his feels because he feared that reaction. But even after doing his best to keep those feels hidden from her, she still managed to discover. He thought that he could say goodbye to whatever of their friendship was left until that point. He was incredibly sad, but there was nothing he could do; he liked her and now she knew. Words and actions couldn’t be taken back.

After hearing the door closing Otis went downstairs. He needed to vent with someone, and Jean was always happy to listen to him.

“Darling, how are you?” She asked while noticing the distress on his face.

“On one hand I’m relieved, telling her how I feel was nice. On the other hand, I can’t stop thinking how our friendship has ended today.”

“Why?”

“I have the impression she felt really uncomfortable hearing my feels towards her.”

“I’m sorry to hear that Otis. I know how much she means to you.”

“Don’t worry mum, love is just dumb luck, and in this case, I have not been fortunate. But as long as she is happy, I’m happy.”

“Oh Otis! That's so sweet and mature from you. I’m your mum and I know I’m very biased when it comes to you, but any girl that takes you will be incredibly lucky.”

“Thanks mum.” He offered her a small smile.

* * *

If Otis thought that watching Maeve leave after telling that he liked her felt bad, he was certainly not prepared for the feeling of seeing Maeve avoiding and ignoring him. He could see of she was not even looking at him, how she didn’t go to tell him anything, not even a polite good morning. No, none of that. They were just two strangers that shared a school.

He wanted to cry after seeing it. He would probably have done it if he had not been at school. At least their friendship would not be weird since they were no longer friends apparently. So, no everything was so bad, he thought trying to make some fun of the situation but actually not finding any in it.

Finally, the day was over. He could go home to feel sad, cry and be melancholic about better times. None of that was going to solve his problems, but maybe it could make him feel somewhat better. And there was some ice cream on the freezer in case he needed it.

Jean being Jean was really curious regarding the situation of Otis’ relationship with Maeve. She had seen how sad his son looked when Maeve left the last Saturday, and he hoped that he managed to fix it somehow.

“Have you spoken with Maeve already?” Asked Jean.

“No, she is not even talking with me anymore. She acts like she doesn’t even know me.”

“I’m really sorry Otis.”

“Thanks mum.”

“Just give her time. Things are also difficult for her.”

“I know.”

She hoped that he could have fixed it, but Fate was still not favourable to Otis’ wishes.

* * *

But of course, as Otis was affected by the developments of the situation, so was Maeve. Why had she been so unhappy that last week? Why did she miss Otis so much at the party? Why did drifting away from him feel like losing a part of herself? Why even when she was with Jackson she couldn’t stop thinking about Otis. Why did that voice that she had in the back of her mind since she got with Jackson grown louder?

Of course, Maeve’s worries didn’t go unnoticed to the people around her. A week had passed since Maeve’s birthday party and she was hanging out with Jackson. Well, her body was, her mind was a million miles away.

“Maeve? Maeve? Are you listening to what I said?”

“Sorry Jackson, I was just thinking.”

“You look distracted lately. Is there any problem?”

“Don’t worry, I will fix eventually.”

“You know that you can tell me about it, right?”

“I do.”

“Come on, tell me about it. I will help.”

“I don’t think you can help with this one.”

“Try me.”

“You know Otis Milburn, right?”

“Yeah, skinny gangly pale kid at school.” The fact Jackson described Otis in the words he used didn’t go unnoticed to Maeve.

“He has been my best friend for so long. But lately things are not the best between us.”

“Any reason for that?”

“Well, to start since I’m with you we have been seeing each other less and less. I know it’s normal, it’s just that after a lifetime of spending so much time together it feels strange. However, the main thing is that he had recently told me he likes me. And I don’t know what to do.”

“Well, you don’t need to do anything.”

“But I don’t want to lose our friendship.”

“You have me now; you don’t need to think about him anymore.”

“He is my best friend; I’m not going to make him disappear from my life.”

“But you have a new best friend. A better one.”

“What do you mean a better one?”

“I mean me.”

“You don’t know him. How can you say you are better?”

“You have chosen me for a reason. And anyway, I was worried that there was something wrong between us. But that I know it’s just that kid liking you I know I don’t need to worry.”

“Why not?”

“It’s not like you are going to leave me to go jump into his arms.”

“Why not?”

“Come on, it’s not like he can compare to me.”

“What are you saying?”

“I understand that different people have different tastes, but I can see the difference between he and I.”

“Do you really think so?”

“I do. I mean, everybody thinks that.”

“Everybody who is an idiot I guess.”

“Come on, don’t get mad. Come with me to the bed and I will make you forget about him.”

“Why would I want to forget about him?”

“Because now you have someone better in your life.”

“You know? Otis told me that you were a genuinely nice guy, but he was wrong. You are just a pretentious jerk, who thinks that he is better than other people for no fucking reason at all. Fuck you Jackson.” She told him as she got up to leave his house.

She was fuming. Otis and she may have been having some problems, but he still was his best friend, one of the most important people of her life and the guy she… ‘ _Oh shit!_ ’ She finally realised. He could hear the voice at the back of her mind cleared and louder than ever. ‘ _Finally! It has taken you a while. Now move you ass, you know what to do._ ’

She went to Otis’ house as fast as she could manage.

Jean opened the door. She needed just a second to realise why Maeve was here. Apparently, she was not wrong about the special connection those 2 had.

“He is upstairs.”

Maeve nodded.

“Otis!”

“Maeve. What are you doing here? I was not expec…” That was all he managed to say before Maeve crashed into him and started to hug him as if she wanted to take all the air out of his lungs. He embraced her back.

After staying in that position for a while she separated from him. “I need to ask you something and tell you a different one.”

“Ok.” He was nervous. As with her visit last weekend, he had not expected to see her.

“What I need to ask you is to never let me drift away from you again. I need you in my life Otis. I was an idiot for letting you go. I don’t want to do that ever again, but if I do, please stop me.”

“I will try. Don’t worry anymore Maeve, you are here now, and I’m happy for that.”

“Me too. And what I need to tell you is that you were wrong.”

“In what?”

“In that I can’t like you. I like you Otis. I really like you. I have been liking you for a while, I guess I was just an idiot who couldn’t see the obvious.”

“That’s… That’s the best thing anyone has ever said to me. I really like you too Maeve.”

“I’m wondering how your lips taste Otis. Can you help me with that?” She asked innocently.

“I think I can.” He said before leaning to kiss Maeve as he has long wished for.

Finally, Otis had Fate smiling at him. Fate could had been mischievous, but it knew what was right from the very beginning, it just liked to take some detours on the way.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry if the ending feels somewhat rushed, but I wanted to finish this one before going to sleep since I'm working on way too many stories at the moment and I wanted to finish this one as the creative juices seemed to be flowing for now.


End file.
